


There Is Just One Thing I Need

by alittlewicked



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Advent Calendar, Alternate Universe, Captain America Steve Rogers/Modern Bucky Barnes, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Hurt Steve Rogers, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Modern Bucky Barnes, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Post-Endgame, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, blantant disregard for canon, if the russos can fuck over time and space - so can I, steve is a desperate bi mess but with an explanation, this is set after endgame but bucky was never the winter soldier but is a gen y baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:22:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21922645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alittlewicked/pseuds/alittlewicked
Summary: If someone had told him in December 1939 that he would live to see the new millennium, Steve'd have laughed in their face. And if they had told him that he'd spend December 2019 pining for a stranger on the internet, he'd have socked them in the jaw.☆♡☆An advent calender meets social media fic where Steve pines and Bucky glows.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 46
Kudos: 221
Collections: MCU Christmas Exchange





	1. Dec. 1 - 3

**Author's Note:**

  * For [doctorkilljoy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/doctorkilljoy/gifts).

> Dear doctorkilljoy, 
> 
> I loved all your prompts and I tried to pack as many of them into this as I could fit :D! Hopefully you like, what I came up with ♡!
> 
> Thank you to Ruquas for organizing this amazing exchange!
> 
> Happy holidays to everyone celebrating these days and a few peaceful last days of 2019!

**Dec. 1 ☆ Kiss Me Babe, It's Christmas Time - Owl City**

"Hi guys and gals! It's finally that time of the year again!" A broadly grinning young man was blinding Steve with the sheer force of his smile. 

And it really had nothing to do with the gaudy filter the man had layered over his video so that it looked like tiny stars were clinging to his long lashes. The smile was more like the sun itself, bright and life-giving.

He could feel an answering smile tugging at the corners of his mouth despite his otherwise gloomy mood. The bright blue-grey eyes pulled Steve in, making him wish that he could throw himself into their depths and maybe drown in them. So what. The looming holidays made him miserable. 

The man taking up the screen of Steve's StarkPhone shook his head softly, making Steve's eyes zoom in on what looked like the beginnings of antlers or horns of some kind nestled in curly, dark brown hair. The man was clearly a supernatural, had to be really! This was getting better and better, Steve was captivated beyond belief now.

"So as all of you know - or at least all three of you that know me personally and that will ever watch this - I fucking love the holiday season!" The grin beaming up at him from his phone had Steve squeeze his eyes shut for a second. Looking at it felt like staring at the midday sun in July without sunglasses. 

The man in the video adjusted his grip on the camera, making the stream wonky for a second and Steve's eyes were frantically trying to refocus. 

No matter how long he had been adjusting to modern life and all the perks of the 21st century, the selfie culture was something that Steve would never be able to wrap his head around. Sure, he had willfully and intentionally typed "Christmas" into the Instagram search bar - fully expecting selfies and people recording themselves spewing inane tidbits about their lives. And then he had tapped onto the stories. But still. Sometimes it made him wonder if a narcissistic personality disorder was the only way to survive living among influencers and likes and #picofthedays and what not. 

But although he could not fully grasp the ins and outs of his brand new StarkPhone yet and the rabbit hole that was Instagram and the whole cultural codes behind it were just plain confusing to him - nothing could have made him swipe away the story of the charming brunette. 

"I know it's all one giant rip-off orchestrated by capitalism and we really shouldn't buy into it as much as we do. But love is love I guess!" Rubbing a big hand self-consciously across his neck, the man peeked up at the camera, his smile dimming for the first time. "But I really fucking love Christmas season." 

Steve needed that man to smile again. How did he get him to beam at the camera once more? Although props to the man for plainly stating what had Steve so irked about December and Christmas in the 21st century.

"Unfortunately, my little sister - who is legally and by blood and several sibling contracts obligated to cater to my every holiday whim - has abandoned me this year to go frolicking across Europe in what she calls a semester abroad." A deep breathe made the impressive chest of the man on screen rise. "Dishonor on your cow, Becks."

Steve wanted to cuddle the man of his dreams and kiss it better. Or hunt that sister down and drag her back to wherever her brother was suffering through the merry season alone. Which seemed a little extreme, even for him; considering that he had watched the man all of one minute. Social media was seriously messing with his mind.

"Anyway, now that you know who to direct your complaints to, I'll spam all your Insta feeds with my 25 days of Christmas spree! Mute me before our friendship's over, love you!"

With a wink, the man ended the story.

And left Steve feeling bereft. He wanted to bath in that smile a little longer. He wanted to be winked at some more. He wanted to lick those antlers.

Damn. Now that escalated quickly.

Only after the next few stories had been playing before his unseeing eyes, Steve realized that he never got the man's Insta handle.

  
☆♡☆

  
**Dec. 2 ☆ It's Christmas Time Again - Backstreet Boys**

So maybe Steve was sulking.

Here he was, having survived a World War, three alien attacks, and travelling through the multiverse. And after having adapted to technology like a duckling taking to the water for the first time, he forgot to click the follow button.

Of course, he could ask Tony to maybe write an algorithm or something to find the man. Or to ask Natasha for help. Because there was no one that the former Russian spy couldn't track. 

But that seemed a little over the top for just a man he had seen on Instagram for all of three minutes. Even of his subconsciousness had decided that Steve needed to have the man's babies and marry him in a beautiful winter wedding. Or at least take him out on the most christmassy date to have ever been had. 

But no matter how long he was looking through the compiled Insta stories with the Christmas hashtag or anything similar really, the man did not appear on screen again. And the old story had been deleted since yesterday as well. 

So yeah. Steve was definitely sulking. 

  
☆♡☆ 

  
**Dec. 3 ☆ Shake Up Christmas - Train**

The world had been at peace since the defeat of Thanos. And Steve resented that.

Don't get him wrong. Peace for the world was a good thing, really. Good for her.

But it left him with far too much time on his hands and even more time to think. Over-think and re-think things, debating this and that. And generally getting so caught up in his own head that he had lost days at a time over the last year just thinking. 

Therefore, to be completely honest, Steve would be very grateful if anyone would try to take over Earth today. It didn't have to be a full-on invasion, really. He could make do with a little bit of AIM bashing or roughing up Hydra just as well.

If someone had told him in December 1939 that he would live to see the new millennium, he'd have laughed in their face. And if they had told him that he'd spend December 2019 pining for a stranger on the internet, he'd have socked them in the jaw. 

He was aggressively jabbing at his phone by now, clicking through Insta stories with the christmas hashtag with abandon. 

"Fuck this, no one wants to see your ugly fake fireplace. And fuck your particularly tacky wrapping paper! Gaaah!" Why were people posting so much stupid shit? 

Steve knew that the chances of finding the man from two days prior were low. Especially locating him in the heaping pile of trash that was the collected fake christmas cheer and festive gaudiness accumulated by #christmas. But he was nothing if not stubborn. Stubborn and impatient. 

So impatient indeed, that he had barely time to register grey eyes and majestic antlers and curly dark hair.

And then his thumb had hit the right side of his screen a few times too many, too fast.

An enraged scream tore itself out of his soul then. 

"FUCK THIS!" 

  
☆♡☆

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay tuned for more pining!


	2. Dec. 4 - 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Pining Continues.

**Dec. 4 ☆ Christmas Cookies 2.0 - RuPaul**

Like a dog with a bone, Steve threw himself into the void of vanity once more. Twice he had caught glimpses of a man too beautiful to encounter in real life. And now he hoped and prayed that three times would be the charm.

He even tried praying to Loki. Because after all the man was God of Mischief and Chaos and if Steve's current predicament was not right up the Aesir prince's alley, he didn't know what was. 

When finally the face he had obsessed over for the last 42 hours popped up on his phone once more, Steve was about to cry in relief. So maybe he had just sold his soul to an ancient alien god, but there was the man of his dreams. The wet ones at least.

"Hey there everyone!" The same heart-melting grin was directed at the camera and Steve's eyes did in fact burn ominously then. If he started crying for real now, he'd have reached a new low. Way to go, Rogers.

On the other hand he hadn't slept for the last two days while stalking Instagram. So maybe that was just his body powering down after a mission accomplished.

"Today I've been out and about looking for a cherry tree. And boy, was that a wild goose chase!" Laughing self-depreciatingly, the camera wobbled a bit as the brunette took a seat in what looked like a kitchen area. "Turns out, it's not that easy to find a cherry tree in Brooklyn. Who would have thought?" 

Not to be dramatic, but Steve would have burned down all of New York to find a damn cherry tree for the other man. Maybe it was a good thing that he had not been asked to help. Nevermind the "knowing each other in the first place" part.

"Anyway. I found one, I asked if I could cut off a twig or two - seriously people, ask! - and now I got my Barbara branches for this holiday season all ready to bloom!"

The camera swung around then towards two thin, puny twigs placed in a delicate vase. Fair lights were slung around the glass and blinked away merrily. A strong hand moved into the frame then and delicately stroked the branches. 

"So there's this old pagan tradition that's been swallowed by Christianity to cut cherry tree branches at the beginning of December and place them in water. Today they're called Barbara branches and attributed to Saint Barbara - yes, obviously - and if the cutting display begins to blossom exactly on the 25th, then that's a particularly good omen for the coming year!" 

The camera turned around once more to the beautiful man, a somber look on his face. 

"I don't care all that much for Christian beliefs, hello - look at these antlers, but that's something I really don't want to unpack right now. But I like to take things back and put them in a personal context and to borrow traditions that are rooted deeper than the last 2000 years. Today made me feel closer to my ancestors. So cherry tree twigs it is. And if you still like me - keep your fingers crossed for me so that they'll bloom on the 25th!"

  
☆♡☆

  
**Dec. 5 ☆ Mistletoe - Justin Bieber**

Tonight, Steve had finally found some sleep. Dreaming of a disarming smile and slight dimples and majestic antlers curving elegantly above curly dark hair. And a deep voice whispering a name.

Bucky. 

At least that was what the profile said when Steve finally got his wits about him and hit that Insta handle. Hard. 

And now he waited with bated breath for a new story to load.

"Goooood morning, everyone!" Bucky was blinking up into the camera, looking adorably rumpled and like he had just crawled out of bed. 

And what Steve wouldn't give to be there for that. And be able to trace those pillow creases pressed into soft cheeks and nibble a bit at that plush bottom lip.

"My sister sent me an advent calender full of tea over from Europe. Apparently an advent calender is essential in a lot of countries over the pond and you can get them filled with just about anything." 

A tea kettle was whistling in the back and the story cut off then. 

"Back again! Sorry for cutting you off just then." Soft steam was curling up from a gigantic mug cradled in Bucky's left hand. "So I really like tea, thanks Becca for that anyway! Today's tea is called 'Good Morning Tea' with lemongrass and vervain or at least that's what Google Translate tells me."

His brows furrowed adorably then and the crinkling nose had Steve nearly squeal from cuteness overload.

"Uhm. Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't vervain the stuff against the vampires in Vampire Diaries? Is that safe to drink anyway?" Dark brown eyes glared suspiciously into the camera while Bucky gave the mug a tentative sniff. "So just that we're clear: if you don't hear from me by tomorrow then it was definitely not safe and you all know who's your person of interest then!"

☆♡☆


	3. Dec. 6 - 8

**Dec. 6 ☆ Santa Baby - Ariana Grande feat. Liz Gillies**

"Apparently, today is St. Nicholas Day in a few European countries. And that's why Becca sent me s box full of chocolate men." Bucky held up one of the chocolates in question and danced it around in front of the camera. 

Steve could see himself being man-handled like that by Bucky as well, not gonna lie.

"And Nicholas makes me have another vampire flashback! What's up with that? Can anyone explain to me why I'm thinking about vampires all the time?" Bucky stared beseechingly at the camera. "And spare me the sucking puns. Been there, done that."

The lascivious grin headed straight for Steve's heart and dick. He could feel himself harden in his pants. He'd suck whatever parts of Bucky he could get his mouth on. 

Also, he could feel an ethical crisis coming on in 3, 2, …

"Anyway. I like my men soft and with a heavy serving of fluff." The charming blush gracing the attractively cut cheekbones re-directed Steve's blood flow once more and made his heart pound. "So I'm gonna melt down those hunks and gorge on chocolate fondue tonight." 

A few hours later, Steve got the notification that @mistletoe_buck had uploaded a new picture. It was of Bucky in a soft sweater, licking chocolate off a fluffy marshmallow.

And down all the blood went again.

☆♡☆

**Dec. 7 ☆ Christmas Tree - Lady Gaga feat. Space Cowboy**

"Guys, I'm busy today but I'll leave you a link to my Christmas playlist on Spotify for some Christmas cheer on this fine Saturday! See you tomorrow!" Blowing a kiss and a wink to the camera, Bucky cut his story short.

And Steve already missed him. 

Three days of having Bucky talk to him over Instagram was the best thing that had happened to him in a long while. Could it really be that a stranger on the internet was the most joy he had in his life? 

He'd rather not dwell on that thought for too long. 

To distract himself, he went to Bucky's profile and clicked the link embedded in the bio. And was nearly blown out of his socks by a loud bass booming from his StarkPhone, making it vibrate so hard it nearly fell out of his hand. 

What the fuck was this abomination? Music in the 21st century couldn't even be called that most of the time if you asked Steve. And who had allowed Lady Gaga to record a Christmas song back in 2008? So much for 'silent night' and all that. Even Steve had caught up on popular culture that much to see the discrepancy there.

Could it be that despite all the beauty combined in his person, Bucky had not a grain of taste for the arts?

Watching his world and all the dreams of a Christmas themed winter wedding crumble before his eyes, Steve could not bring himself to change to song. And before he knew it, it had wormed its way into his brain.

Shoulders shaking to the beat and mouthing along to the lyrics, he could feel himself smile genuinely for the first time today. So maybe there was something to that newfangled music.

He'd have to listen to all of that playlist to gain more data. 

Steve had the most fun a man could have by himself without taking his clothes off, not gonna lie.

☆♡☆

  
**Dec. 8 ☆ White Christmas - George Ezra**

Today, there was only a new picture posted to Bucky's feed and not even a few seconds of update in the story. Steve was slightly to extremely disappointed and crushed. Two days without hearing Bucky talk and seeing his beautiful smile for more than mere seconds... that were two days bereft of warmth and feeling soft. 

The picture showed a artfully arranged chocolate brownie, garnished with a heap of whipped cream and red and green sprinkles.

Apparently, today was National Brownie Day. That was, if Bucky could be trusted.

  
☆♡☆


	4. Dec. 9 - 11

**Dec. 9 ** **☆** ** Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - Mariah Carey**

On Monday, Steve hoped and prayed that he would get more than just a short story and a picture of @mistletoe_buck. He was being greedy and he knew it. But not as if he could help it with what the serum had done to his very being.

It took ten hours and twelve minutes for his prayers to be answered. But who was counting anyway.

"Guuuys, it's Christmas Card Day today!" Steve's heart beat just that tiny bit faster with that grin aimed at him, no matter how indirect it was. He probably wouldn't even survive the full force of that smile in real life.

Too bright, too powerful.

His poor bi soul wouldn't even stand a chance.

"I love getting mail! At least postcards from friends or letters or anything that's not a bill or grown-up stuff."

There was loud rustling on Bucky's end of the stream and then the feed cut off once again. Steve nearly screamed at his phone then, when suddenly there was a second part to the story playing. Or more like… an Insta Live Video. Steve was silently, okay – who was he kidding, cheering. That meant content, a whole lot of content! All that Bucky!

The camera was faced down now onto the table top from an elevated position. The picture showed a workspace where a plethora of colored pencils, washi tapes, glitter, and cards was piled haphazardly.

“So I borrowed this wild contraption this from my sister. Technically she just dumped it in my living room when she gave up her apartment before going to Europe. So finders keepers it is!”

Then Steve spent two hours watching Bucky lettering and gluing, drawing and glittering up Christmas cards for various friends and families. There were puns and stupid jokes. Comic penguins and glittery garlands paired together with no rhyme or reason.

And ended up with a notepad full of memos before he knew it.

And inspiration. So much inspiration and a zest for action, for creating something again, as he hadn’t felt in a long time. He could already see them before his closed eyes, all those cards he was going to make and send to his friends. And to the people he had come to regard as his family.

One with “_Sleigh all day!_” for Natasha. Perhaps he could put some kittens on there. On sleighs.

A “_How Rude-olf of you!_” for Tony, perhaps with some fluorescent paints for the nose of a naughty reindeer.

A portrait of Sam scowling and “_Resting Grinch Face_” written in cursive below.

Steve was on fire, figuratively speaking as opposed to usually, and he couldn’t wait to get started. He was even hell-bent on going out himself and browse all the craft stores in Brooklyn for the best materials, no more ordering in via Tony’s latest A.I.

He couldn’t wait to draw again. He hadn’t felt that inspired since before the War really.

☆♡☆

**Dec. 10 ** **☆** ** Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Miley Cyrus**

Steve had woken up bright and early to go shopping for some arts and craft supplies, brimming with nervous energy. But for the first time in way too long, it felt positive and right and not like ants crawling under his skin.

Now he was back in his living room, his treasure spread all around him. And he was missing that tiny, last spark for the fire to catch. He had his first card right in front of him, marker in hand, and he didn’t know where to begin.

And right on cue, he got the notification, that Bucky had uploaded a new story.

“Ho, ho, ho, bitches!” Today, Bucky was dressed in a cozy white cable-knit sweater and Steve couldn’t breathe for a second there. “Today’s Bucky’s Christmas Special Spree brings to you the best thing ever: Christmas movies!”

Steve perked up then, but for a whole other reason than Bucky being his hot self on camera for the super-soldier’s viewing pleasure. Christmas movies! Why hadn’t he thought about that on his own? He had always better worked with some background noises.

“So you all know about the traditional ones like _Elf_ or _The Grinch_ or _Love Actually_. But have you already checked out all those gloriously trashy Netflix productions yet?! Hashtag no advertisement! But I’ve been binge-watching the _Christmas_ _Prince_ trilogy last weekend as well as _The Knight Before Christmas_!”

Bucky was legit squealing into his selfie cam.

“Seriously, this movie has everything! A hot renaissance character travels through time and has to adapt to modern life! He gets hit by a car and befriends Alexa and it’s just so fucking funny! And then there’s my queen, Vanessa Hudgens, playing a broken-hearted, cynical Christmas maniac… haaaa… I love it, guys!” There was a dreamy look in Bucky’s eyes and Steve was sold. “I swear to you, holiday romance movies have never been better now that Vanessa has decided to monopolize the genre!”

It took Steve all of two seconds to navigate his TV and immerse himself into some formulated Christmas cheer.

☆♡☆

**Dec. 11 ** **☆** ** Hard Candy Christmas - Dolly Parton**

When his phone pinged with a new notification, it was the first time in about a day that Steve resurfaced from his creation spree. His coffee table was littered with Christmas Cards and craft supplies and balled up drafts. He had still so many ideas, he needed to get them all out.

And now his phone was telling him that it was already the next day? Huh.

Anyway, there was a new post from Bucky online and if yesterday had been any indication, then it was to be good. From the looks of it, he was not wrong. It was a picture of a hand-written list.

A Christmas Bucket List.

Steve was feeling the tell-tale tingling of new enthusiasm coming on. It was still two weeks until Christmas and he planned to get all of these activities in, even if he had to sacrifice another night of sleep.

**The Ultimate 2019 Christmas Bucky List**

  1. <strike></strike><strike>Decorate the house</strike>
  2. Read a Christmas story
  3. Eat candy canes
  4. Bake cookies
  5. <strike></strike><strike>Write Christmas cards</strike>
  6. Make a gingerbread house
  7. Decorate the tree
  8. <strike></strike><strike>Christmas movie marathon</strike>
  9. Look at the lights
  10. Hot chocolate with all the works
  11. Buy Christmas presents
  12. <strike>Listen to Christmas music</strike>
  13. Wear an ugly Christmas sweater
  14. **Kiss under the mistletoe**

So, where to begin now?

☆♡☆


	5. Dec. 12 - 13

**Dec. 12 ☆ Santa's Coming For Us - Sia **

Steve had carefully written down last night's To Do List and was now staring down at it. He was ready to throw himself into the holiday spirit now, no questions asked and a new spring to his step.

But now he fell through just deciding which step to take first.

Bucky came to the rescue then.

"Get in, losers, it's time to make some gingerbread Houses!" Bucky reached over the top of the camera then and settled it back so he had both hands free. "And there's the first lie: it's not gonna be gingerbread that I'm gonna build my Bucky Dream House with. I'm using graham crackers because I don't like gingerbread. Sue me! And if you don't like it you get out of my story! Looking at you, Becca!" 

And then Steve spent half an hour watching a heavily edited story of Bucky glueing crackers and icing and spribkles and marshmallows together. He would have never thought that you could indeed build tiny houses from graham crackers and he was inexplicably tempted to try it for himself. Clint and Bruce would definitely appreciate the sweets.

Listening to Bucky grumbling about how he didn't fucking besmirch their family's honor by not liking gingerbread, _Becca_, was also incredibly entertaining. As was the cursing when the statics didn't work out on the first try. 

  
☆♡☆

  
**Dec. 13 ☆ Last Christmas - Wham!**

"Today's Christmas tradition I stole from Sweden. They celebrate the St. Lucia Day on the 13th which was the day of the winter solstice in times of the Gregorian calendar." Bucky's imposing antlers were wrapped with softly glowing fairy lights that made his eyes glow otherwordly. 

Steve was entranced. 

Also, it looked like Bucky was still in bed with pillows piled high behind his back.

"Lucia means 'light-bearer' and comes from the Latin word 'lux'. And everyone of you who has binge-watched all seasons of Lucifer is now having a laugh with me."

Pulling his notepad closer, the man out of time jotted that one down as well. He had a feeling that it still had loosely to do with the Bible, but what the 21st century had taught him was this: nothing was safe from popculture. He couldn't say that he minded, really.

"Nowadays it's celebrated with a lot of singing, people wearing candlelit wreaths on their heads, and baked goods." 

The camera wobbled a bit as it panned down towards Bucky's lap. And oh my. Normally, Steve's mind would have taken a dive in the gutter at that perspective. But the breakfast laid out on top of the comforter made his mouth water for a whole other reason. 

A big mug with a heavy serving of whipped cream on top was placed on a tray next to a plate with what looked like still steaming cinnamon rolls.

"Happy Inofficial Kanelbullar Day to me!" Lifting the mug up and taking a huge gulp of it, the man grinned back at the camera with a gleaming moustache of whipped cream that he licked off salaciously.

Steve suddenly had a craving for hot chocolate. 

  
☆♡☆


	6. Dec. 14 - 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's happening, guys!

**Dec. 14 ☆ Run Run Rudolph - Kelly Clarkso**n

Steve was restless. Since waking up this morning, he was vibrating with nervous energy. His body, mind, and soul telling him that something was going to happen today. Unfortunately, his internal alarm systems were not necessarily fine honed. 

He could either win the lottery today or stumble across his favorite pencil that he had misplaced during his Christmas Cards Extravaganza. But it could also mean that there was a major extraterrestrial crisis heading towards Earth right this second or a ghost from his past being resurrected. 

Anything could happen really.

But if he could choose, he'd take the pencil. 

Steve wouldn't be Steve though if he just sat at home placidly, waiting for something to happen. He looked at the Christmas Bucky List once more. Candy canes sounded like a good idea. It's not like he could cause an international crisis by buying some sweets. 

But no one said anything about personal crises.

He was basically lost in the sweets aisle, his depression era self swamped with the variations of one and the same candy. And then his super-human hearing picked up a voice behind him, that would forever be seared into his brain.

"Becca, I got to hang up now. There's a hottie at 12 o'clock that I need to climb like your cat the Christmas tree!"

Steve's face was lit as the youths say but he needed to turn around, needed to see what he already knew.

There he stood. 

@mistletoe_buck with his proud antlers arching elegantly upwards to the cold store lights. Dressed in a cuddly Christmas sweater and carrying a basket over an impressive forearm, filled with cookies and candy. Glowing like he had no business to in between cheap plastic wrappings and sterile tile floors.

Steve wanted to eat him. And then hoard him away so no one else could lay their eyes on him. 

Smooth, be smooth, Rogers, for once in your life.

"I know you!" Is what he burst out instead like the idiot that he was. 

"No shit, I know _you_!" Bucky was gaping at him, flush rising high on his cheeks. 

And seeing the man he had been obsessing over for the last days just as flustered as he was himself, made his manners kick in again. Sarah Rogers could be proud of her socially awkward son.

"Steve Rogers, pleasure to meet you. I've been watching your Christmas countdown!" Reaching out, he offered his hand for a shake. Hoping and praying that he would get to hold Bucky's hand for even just a second. 

"Like I said: no shit!" Bucky grasped his hand hurriedly, gripping tight but not uncomfortably so. Just right. 

Their hands fit together perfectly.

"I mean, sorry, that's so rude! I just saw your profile picture in my views and I thought it was maybe a fan account or something. Who would have thought that Captain America lurks on Instagram!" Chuckling self-consciously, Bucky still hadn't let go of Steve. 

Never in a million years would he loosen his grip either. 

"Oh god. Captain America has been watching my stupid rambling!" The flush on Bucky's face intensified then. 

It made Steve smile fondly at him. "It's been the best part of my holiday season so far."

  
☆♡☆

  
**Dec. 15 ☆ Ho Ho Ho - Sia**

Steve was still high on yesterday's meeting, blood singing and heart soaring. His every fibre telling him what he had already known for the last two weeks.

He had found his treasure. The one meant only for him. 

And then Bucky's daily post came online. It showed a picture of a cupcake drowning in everything chocolate-y. Chocolate icing, chocolate sprinkles, chocolate cookies on top. The caption read: 

Met a cupcake yesterday. Happy National Cupcake Day everyone!

Steve may or may not have squealed reading this. 

  
☆♡☆

  
**Dec. 16 ☆ One More Sleep - Leona Lewis**

The next day, Steve's patented Bucky-squeal died a miserable, slow death. What came out of the bottom of his desperate, messy bi heart was somewhere between a whine, a whimper, and a gasp. It sounded worse than anything his formerly asthma-riddled lungs had ever produced during the 20th century. 

And it was all one Bucky's fault. 

Bucky in all his broad-shouldered, antlered, deep-throating glory. 

That's right.

With the absurd excuse of "National Chocolate Covered Anything Day" Bucky had posted a selfie of himself with a chocolate covered banana. 

A whole chocolate covered banana. 

That he was deep-throating.

Basically.

Anyway he got it in his mouth and his cheek was bulging out and what in all heavens was Steve supposed to think besides Bucky fucking deep-throating a whole banana!?!?

  
☆♡☆


	7. Dec. 17 - 19

**Dec. 17 ☆ Christmas Lights - Coldplay**

_@mistletoe_bucky wants to send you a message._

Steve couldn't breathe. Hurriedly, he tapped on his phone to read what was waiting for him.

_hey steve! sorry for being so awkward when we met _🙈  
_and for yelling about you being captain america_ �🙊

Steve was stupidly grinning down at his phone, when another message popped up in the chat.

_otherwise i'd have yelled about you being hot af_ 🔥🤤_ and that would have been a whole other level of mortifying for both of us _😅🙈

Steve could feel a blush rising in his cheeks, but it was definitely more of a pleased reaction than anything else. Hot he could work with. 

**Hello Bucky! It's absolutely no problem! And I wouldn't call it mortifying exactly, but rather pretty interesting. **

There, cool as a cucumber. 

On second thought.

Maybe too cool. 

**I've been yelling internally about how hot you are for two weeks now** ��

**Best part of my holiday season so far, as I said**

Steve stared at his phone, willing the bubbles to turn into another message from Bucky. But no matter how hard he stared, the bubbles didn't turn into words. 

He gave up after ten minutes, his usual stubborness evaporating in the face of typing-bubbles. No "greatest strategic mind of the century" could come up with an exit plan to that uncomfortable situation besides exiting.

When his phone signified an incoming message, he was back at it with a jump over the back of the sofa and a dive towards the coffee table. 

_sorry this took me so long_

_i've been screaming my head off _😱

_because of you_

_just so you know_

_and then I had to work up some nerve for this: _

_like, people don't lie on social media (indulge me here) and you said i'm the best part of your holiday season twice now... so do you maybe want to do some holiday stuff together this weekend? _

_to really get into the mood? _

And Steve was potentially reading into this, but this sounded… like a date?

He nearly broke his phone typing in his answer.

**I'D LOVE TO! **

  
☆♡☆

  
**Dec. 18 ☆ Jingle Bell Rock - Glee Cast**

"Hello, hello! Today I'm too lazy to do anything special so I'll do a Christmas This Or That." 

Bucky was lounging on his bed again, a candy cane sticking out of the corner of his mind. Steve wanted to be that candy cane.

"Okay, so eggnog or mulled wine. Huh. I never thought about that. Both I guess." 

He pulled the candy cane out of his mouth then, licking it luxuriously. 

"White Christmas or tropical Christmas. So I'm a sucker for the commercialized white winter dream but I'd love to try holidays at the beach. Then next is gingerbread versus sugar cookies." He smirked at the camera. "At the risk of being officially disowned by my sister: sugar cookies all the way. I hate gingerbread even though that betrays everything a reindeer shifter stands for. Or so Becca says."

He shoved the candy cane into his cheek pocket.

"Christmas parties or Christmas movies. Movies. Definitely. Me, a pillow fort, and kitchy holiday movies. Parties cannot hold a candle to that, no matter how good they may be." 

Steve was envious of the candy cane by now. How could it get that far?

"Christmas pudding or candy canes?" Bucky pulled the candy cane slowly out from its resting place and good suck. "You have to ask?"

Steve had to take a very cold shower then.

  
☆♡☆

  
**Dec. 19 ☆ Winter Wonderland / Here Comes Santa Claus - Snoop Dogg feat. Anna Kendrick**

Today Steve spent 20 minutes watching Bucky paint his nails a glittery red color. He loved every single second of it.

He was mesmerized by the glitter particles catching the light and the deep red highlighting Bucky's strong fingers. Hopefully, Bucky would leave the paint on until their maybe-date tomorrow.

  
☆♡☆


	8. Dec. 20 - 23

**Dec. 20 ☆ Santa Tell Me - Ariana Grande**

Bucky had insisted that he needed an Ugly Christmas Sweater for the holidays and seeing as it was apparently National Ugly Sweater Day on the 20th, the brunette had decreed they go shopping together.

This was how he found himself in a Boxlunch store all the way over at the other side of Brooklyn, being dragged down aisles and past shelves full of popcultural references he had never even heard of since de-thawing. But seeing Bucky's eyes shining and watching the other man pointing out this and that, he felt for the first time that maybe it could be worth it to really catch up with these times. 

"There it is! Stevie, I got just the thing for you!" Blocking out Steve's view of the shelf with his considerable bulk, Bucky was burrowing down between mountains of sweaters. "I hope we can get you somehow squeezed in there. It's gonna be a tight fit but not like you care for loose clothes anyway, right, Stevie?" 

The smirk aimed over a broad shoulder hit the super-soldier straight in the heart. He had felt a connection to the antlered man since the first time he had seen him online. But then he could always pretend it was his lonely mind playing tricks in him, making him pine over a stranger he likely would never meet in real life.

But now, breathing in the scent of snow and pine that clung to Bucky. Watching him laugh and smirk and tease, it became all that much harder to ignore that tugging in his soul, his very being's insistence that he had found a treasure, his treasure. 

And then Bucky turned around with a sweater that he deemed the right fit. It had a huge Captain America shield in the middle, adorned by mistletoes and bells and snowflakes. Bucky's smirk could power all of Brooklyn in that moment.

He held the sweater up to Steve's chest, stroking along his shoulders and tracing down his pectorals and waist. It was all the super-human could do not to whimper out loud in a store full of people and to sink down to his knees. 

But going by the smirk that had grown even wider, he was not very successful.

  
☆♡☆ 

  
**Dec. 21 ☆ A Holly Jolly Christmas - Lady Antebellum**

On Saturday, they met up in the early evening for a walk along the streets of Brooklyn to watch out for some Christmas lights. 

And as they walked besides each other, idle chit-chat filling the ever diminishing space between them, Steve felt content and happy for the first time in forever. The golden thrumming under his skin intensified with every inch they get closer. And when Bucky took the leap for both of them and slipped his fingers between Steve's, a sense of rightness settled deep within his soul. 

  
☆♡☆ 

  
**Dec. 22 ☆ Christmas Without You - OneRepublic**

Winter solstice.

The post on sunday was of the rising sun over the Brooklyn Bridge and the East river glittering in the early morning sun.

Bucky had asked him out for a celebratory morning run around the park, "to welcome the new sun as he had called it". What he didn't specify beforehand was, that it wasn't a normal run he had in mind. So when Steve met the other man in the breaking dawn of the early morning hours, Bucky began shedding his clothes. 

"Race you to the river, Stevie!" A smirk later, an imposing reindeer stood in Bucky's place. Antlers gracefully curved and nostrils blowing out softly billowing steam. 

Steve was still working through the sight of a naked Bucky, golden skin pebbling up from the cold and nipples rising up to meet Steve. And then there were muscles. Miles of muscles. And tattoos. He thought he has caught a glimpse of a candy cane and some antlers. 

He was stunned into silence for a few seconds. Then his brain came back online to the sound of Bucky's thundering hooves galloping away from him.

Oh, it was so on.

Eyes burning up golden, Steve fell into a sprint, chasing the graceful shifter. Bucky may have a head start and reindeer may be long distance runners. But the serum had imparted the strength and speed of a dragon to Steve's formerly sick body. No way was he going to be outrun by someone that should be his prey.

Exhilaration flooded Steve then, the chase making adrenaline race through his blood stream and Bucky's playful snorts from up ahead only edging him on.

They hit the water's edge at the same time. 

Steve hadn't laughed that hard in a long time. 

☆♡☆

  
**Dec. 23 ☆ Little Drummer Boy - Pentatonix**

On the 23rd, Steve was invited over to Bucky's place to decorate the shifter's Christmas tree. It felt homey and cozy and right. It felt like family.

  
☆♡☆


	9. Dec. 24 - 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's a wrap, guys! Thanks to everyone getting onto this wild ride over the last week and for everyone leaving kudos and comments! It was a pleasure!

**Dec. 24 ☆ My Only Wish (This Year) - Britney Spears**

When Steve came over to Bucky's place on the 24th for a quiet night in to celebrate Christmas Eve, he was pulled through the door urgently and met with a soul-searing kiss. Bucky's soft lips were burning where they met his skin, leaving him overly sensitive and vulnerable with just a few kisses. Their tongues stroked together hurriedly, battling for dominance. It left the super-soldier gasping for breath within minutes. 

"Tell me to stop and I will, Steve. But I've wanted you since that day at the grocery store. You're all that I can think about and just being with you feels so right like nothing else ever did." He pressed another kiss to Steve's cheek then, slower and softer than all their previous kisses. Belaying the importance of the moment. "I'm falling for you, Stevie, and I'm yours for the taking if you want me."

Breaking away from where they were tangled together in the middle of the hallway, the antlered man slipped off the cardigan he was wearing and letting it fall to the floor carelessly. 

Then he turned on his heels and made his way to his bedroom.

Steve was left standing there in the hallway, erection pressing up uncomfortably against the zipper of his jeans and heart pounding loudly in his ears. His dragon blood was boiling up, the very treasure of his life within reach and Bucky's words ringing loudly in his ears. 

Making up his mind, he shed his own clothes when he ran into the bedroom, just to come to a sudden stop at the picture that awaited him there. His lover, buck-naked, kneeling on the bed with his back to him. 

A tattoo in his lower back in full view.

Steve whined. 

Here he was, having survived a World War, three alien attacks, and travelling through the multiverse. And he was about to have a heart attack thanks to one Bucky Barnes and his utter devotion to all things Christmas.

"You gotta kiss me under the mistletoe, Stevie!" With a wink over the shoulder, Bucky spread himself open for Steve's hungry gaze.

His knees slid apart on silky sheets and his back bowed prettily until that delicious chest was pressed tightly to the bed. The tattoo of a sprig of mistletoe was nestled over the small of Bucky's back, highlighting his tight, little hole. 

Leaning closer, hypnotised, Steve zeroed in on the pucker between fleshy cheeks. His hands convulsively opened and closed around Bucky's hips. And when had he even gotten on the bed? And when had he grapped onto those delicious hips anyway?

"Stevie..." A breathy moan from underneath him snapped his eyes up to where Bucky was hiding his face in the pillow. "Please…" 

And like a man starving, he dove down between those peachy cheeks with a growl, licking his way into Bucky's most private parts, loosening him up for Steve to finally slide home.

The "I love you" whispered into soft flesh was answered with a tight squeeze, a promise to never let him go. 

  
☆♡☆

  
**Dec. 25 ☆ All I Want For Christmas - Mariah Carey**

When Steve awoke, it was to milky, bright light streaming in through the windows. He felt sated and well rested, something he couldn't remember feeling since well before the serum. 

Blinking lazily in the early morning light, he luxuriatedin the feel of Bucky's warm skin pressed against his body and the slight soreness to his muscles. Leaning over carefully, he pressed a kiss between the other man's antlers.

With a deep sigh, Bucky blinked his eyes openand smiled softly at Steve. 

"Morning, love." A yawn followed the greeting before the young man pressed a kiss to Steve's naked chest.

Here he was, having survived a World War, three alien attacks, and travelling through the multiverse. And Steve had finally found the reason he had made it through ever, hardship he had encountered over the last century.

He had found his treasure.

Wrapping his arms even tighter around Bucky, he rolled over until his eyes caught the cherry branches sitting in their vase at Bucky's bedside table.

They were in full bloom.

  
☆♡☆

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> If you want to share this fic on tumblr, you could do it [here](https://buchanansbum.tumblr.com/post/189832921875/there-is-just-one-thing-i-need-by-alittlewicked) !


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